Pages

Tomato and Feta Casserole with Gigantes Beans

Just yum! One of the tastiest dishes I have made recently. Adapted from Closet Cooking, I used gigantes beans instead of the cod that Kevin's recipe called for. Such a perfect spring meal, and how can I resist the excellent sheep milk Feta cheese and beautiful colossal Kalamata olives from the Perfect Bakery, located at 116 Hamilton Road here in London, Ontario. They have the best olives and Feta in the city. It's also a pleasure to grow fresh herbs outside too that are an ideal addition to meals. You must try this creation. Nourishing and creative, you can't go wrong with this dish. Your carnivorous friends won't miss the meat at all.

Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender — about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and chop. At the same time, soak the star anise in the white wine.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeños and dried red pepper flakes, and continue to stir until fragrant — about 1 minute.

Discard the star anise and pour the wine into the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then toss in the sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, oregano, thyme and cayenne. Continue to simmer until the mixture begins to thicken — about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the cooked gigantes beans, parsley, dill, Feta and olives. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly buttered casserole dish and bake uncovered in a preheated 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Hi, Lisa,I'm new to your blog, and so happy to see the number of recipes you feature using beans and legumes. As a devotee of these nutritious foods, I'll follow your blog to see what new bean dishes you come up with in the future. Thanks!

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 22 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.